


*Genichiro Yeets The Small Child*

by PoisonHemloc



Category: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Genichiro adjusting to having a baby cousin, baby!kuro, if you're reading this on an app an not ao3 they're making money off my work so. dont., some angst but he gets better, teenage!Genichiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 17:00:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22466806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonHemloc/pseuds/PoisonHemloc
Summary: The Ashina and Hirata families meet up every year, but this year something is different.
Relationships: Genichiro Ashina & Isshin Ashina, Genichiro Ashina & Kuro | The Divine Heir
Comments: 9
Kudos: 24





	*Genichiro Yeets The Small Child*

**Author's Note:**

> Just like every other fic I write, this is set in the same au as No One Wants To Hear That Grandpa Was Kind Of A Slut so (spoilers) working with the assumption Genichiro and Isshin are blood related and currently have no clue.
> 
> I had to start making the Elder Hiratas into actual people for a longer thing I'm working on so here's a preview of them.
> 
> While it's not tagged cause it's like one sentence you can pry non-binary Tomoe from my cold dead hands.
> 
> (I like to think they didn't know Kuro was the Divine Heir for a few years; as far as everyone's concerned, he was a normal kid.)

“We’re almost there; you’ll be able to see the estates once we get over this hill.” Isshin turned back towards the road, Genichiro and the retainers that were also going to the Hirata Estate following him. 

“I know, I’ve been here before, Grandfather, you’re distracted thinking something bad happened to Asami when she’s probably fine.” Was the response Genichiro bit his tongue to contain. Tatsuo Hirata did not like traveling without his wife, and the letter he had sent had made Isshin concerned due to the lack of details on what had happened. Genichiro had seen how the two acted every single time one family visited the other and had his own theory on why Asami had not been well enough to travel. He was more surprised that it had taken this long.

The final walk up the path to the estates proper was just as difficult as Genichiro remembered it. It might have been easier than the past two days of traveling through mountain passes, but something about this final incline was more exhausting.

“Uncle! Genichiro! It’s good to see you both!” Tatsuo was waiting for them in the main entrance hall for the estates. “Asami is doing better, but is still resting today, so you’ll have to be alright with just my entertaining.”

“We’ll be fine as long as you don’t get on a table again,” Isshin laughed and pulled his nephew into a hug. Isshin released him after a moment and Tatsuo leaned down slightly to hug Genichiro, who at 14 was the shortest family member and growing rapidly. Genichiro didn’t get a chance to ask what had happened to Asami, but with Tatsuo not seeming upset, he was considering his hunch confirmed and was not looking forward to spending two weeks at the estates with a screaming baby. 

Isshin looked at his grandson as Tatsuo left dinner for a second time to check on Asami. “I don’t think Asami was hurt, now. Tatsuo has been in a very good mood for her not being here. Well? Genichiro, I recognize that look. You disagree?”

“I don’t think she was hurt either, Grandfather, I think there’s three Hiratas, now.” Genichiro tried to sound lighthearted and failed miserably; he had never liked babies. Too small, too fragile, too helpless. Too much could go wrong. It made him anxious; it was easier to avoid them. That was what he was focusing on; there were other thoughts, darker thoughts, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he was ignoring in the hope that they would go away. He glanced over as Isshin looked away.

“We’ll have to ask, then. I think that’s him. Tatsuo!” Isshin looked at the man as he walked inside, still smiling. “I have been very patient with you, nephew. You were very sparse with details in your letter, but now I don’t think Asami is hurt.”

“Asami had a boy. We named him Kuro.” Tatsuo was practically bouncing; he let Isshin’s roar of “Congratulations!” happen, then waved both of them to follow him rather than wait for Isshin to ask. “She said she was happy to see both of you just now. Kuro has been asleep.”

Asami was sitting, holding a bundle wrapped in a blanket. She smiled quietly as Tatsuo urged the Ashina men inside; Isshin was eager to meet his new relative while Genichiro hung back. After a moment Isshin was holding the blanket and jerked his head to tell Genichiro to come closer; the bundle held a very small, sleeping baby. Genichiro tried to stay back a bit; cousin or not he doubted Kuro would be the one baby he did not get nervous around. He also knew his grandfather and had a bad feeling that he was going to end up holding his new cousin and everything he had broken or dropped in the past three years was flashing across his mind’s eye.

Asami had stood, Tatsuo helping her, and they were on Isshin’s other side. Genichiro was trying to distract himself by wondering how such a tall clan could start off as something smaller than Isshin’s forearm when Kuro woke up. Surprisingly, he did not start crying despite the first thing he saw being an unfamiliar face; he looked around and saw his parents, and then he saw the only non-beaming face in the room and reached one of his arms out. 

“Well, he wants you to hold him Genichiro. Open your arms.” Isshin was not using his commanding voice but Genichiro decided not to argue; hopefully he could just do this once while they were here. 

“Support his head with your other hand, yes, like that.” Asami and Tatsuo had the benefit of not watching Genichiro fumble around for the past three years but Grandfather had to know how much of a bad idea this was, right? Whether Kuro wanted to be held or not? Kuro was  _ tiny _ and Genichiro was trying to hold him carefully but most of his thoughts were insisting he was going to drop Kuro and he was hoping very hard one of the adults would choose to take him. 

Instead Tatsuo murmured something to Asami and nodded to Isshin and Genichiro. “Genichiro, will you be okay holding him for a few minutes? I am sure there is a thicker blanket for him in one of the storage rooms-”

“But I need to eat something that isn’t just a bowl of rice.” Asami grinned at the worried face Tatsuo made.

“I can, but Grandfather, would you like to hold him again?”

“I need to check on our retainers, but I’ll take him once I’m back. I’ll just be a minute, Genichiro, but it doesn’t look like he’s letting go of you anytime soon.” Which was true; Kuro had grabbed hold of Genichiro’s  _ haori _ and was staring up at his cousin. Genichiro nodded, panicking quietly, as the adults left, Isshin in one direction and Tatsuo worrying around Asami in another. Left alone in this quiet room holding this tiny scrap of humanity, Genichiro made a snap decision and shuffled backwards until his back hit the wall he remembered being there and used it to ease himself into a sitting position, still holding Kuro, who was still staring up at him. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and shifted his arms to a more comfortable position, looking down uncertainly at his baby cousin. After a minute, Kuro fell back asleep.

_ Now I just wait until everyone comes back _ . Hopefully soon; this was new territory for him. Generally he avoided anyone who might hand him a baby in Ashina, just to be safe; this one being a relative actually made his worries worse.  _ He’s not a relative. He’s an Ashina, regardless of what Tatsuo decided to take as a clan name. You’re just some stray Isshin picked up _ he gritted his teeth and resettled himself against the wall, making sure Kuro didn’t wake up. 

The thoughts weren’t going to stop, though; this was what he’d started worrying about when he realized the Hiratas had probably finally had a child. He was adopted into the clan, and made Isshin’s heir; a grandson, not a son, due to Isshin’s belief that mid forties was too old to have a son, but now there was a child in the small family who actually had Ashina blood. 

He doubted he’d be kicked out; while Isshin had never adopted any other orphans, he had always cared for and about other children in similar positions. But Isshin was only in his fifties; Kuro could easily be an adult before someone was needed to take over the country and it was easier for blood relatives to succeed each other than an adopted kid from a village that didn’t even exist anymore. Since there were always threats from the south, always other wars going on, the logical thing to do to avoid any potential power struggles would be to have an Ashina-a  _ real _ Ashina- follow an Ashina. Maybe that was why no one had come back yet? Isshin had left him here to talk to the Hiratas about what was going to happen when Kuro was older and didn’t want him to know yet, in case something happened, so he could be a backup plan.

He was good with a bow, he was improving with a sword, sure he was learning how to use lightning but Grandfather disapproved and who was to say Kuro wouldn’t be better? He wasn’t as good as Isshin had been at his age, he knew that, he’d overheard some of the retainers talking about it. Ashina would need someone who could lead them into and out of battle and if he was only a second rate samurai his place would be to follow someone else.

If Kuro took to combat like Isshin had there wasn’t a point in keeping an adopted mediocre samurai in the line of succession. Maybe retainership was going to be the best he could hope for. Sure, Kuro was only a month or two old, but time went by fast. Blink, and tomorrow he’d start training, the next day he’d be better, the day after that Isshin would sit Genichiro down and explain he was declaring Kuro his legal heir but don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll be able to find you something to do. 

Kuro was still asleep in his arms. Genichiro leaned his head back against the wall, feeling sick to his stomach. Somewhere in the chaos that had overtaken his brain was the shameful thought  _ you can stop this, right now _ but he couldn’t,  _ wouldn’t _ listen to that. Tatsuo and Asami were obviously head over heels excited about Kuro, and they’d always been good to him; the very idea of hurting someone, even a disliked baby, who couldn’t fight back made his stomach hurt worse than it did already. He couldn’t let his worries that Kuro would take everything he had been promised take over.

He wanted Grandfather, wanted  _ someone _ to come back, but the estates were nearly silent here. He had been traveling all day for two solid days through the mountains; his body was exhausted despite his brain running in circles. This room was darker than the main estates, and quieter; eventually his body won and he fell asleep.

“Tatsuo. There were some minor issues I had to sort out but I had hoped you would be back with Genichiro and Kuro already.” Isshin strode over to the Hiratas making their way back to Kuro’s room. 

“It took a little longer than expected to find something I could eat, then to find the blanket Tatsuo was looking for.” Asami nodded at the thicker blanket her husband was carrying under the arm not wrapped around her. “Genichiro should be fine, right?”

“Yes… he’s growing still, but he has enough sense to be careful.” Asami bit her lip and Tatsuo frowned at his uncle; their bloodline tended to grow explosively but the corresponding coordination took a few years to develop, and even though Genichiro was adopted he had not been breaking the trend. The three headed a little quickly towards Kuro’s room, Asami and Tatsuo in front, and walked inside when they didn’t hear anything coming from the room.

Isshin looked over their shoulders and grinned. “See, I told you he has the sense to be careful.” Genichiro was sitting, back to the wall, completely asleep, and half curled around Kuro, who was also asleep. “We were traveling a lot these past few days, I’m not surprised he’s tired.”

“Kuro is back asleep, too. He’s been sleeping a lot.”

“He must get that from Asami. I remember when you were a baby, I don’t think my brother or his wife slept for a year.” There was a snort from Asami as Tatsuo gave a wounded look to his uncle. 

“I don’t want to wake them up, but-” Isshin had already walked around the two and knelt to carefully pull Kuro out of his grandson’s grasp and hand the sleeping baby back to Asami. 

“Genichiro sleeps very heavily when he’s tired. I’ll take him back to the guest rooms and see you in the morning.” Isshin knelt again, this time rising carrying his still dead-to-the-world grandson, and nodded at his nephew and Asami before leaving toward the Ashina’s rooms for the visit.

Genichiro woke up and had two minutes of peace before he remembered his thoughts from last night, which led him to realize he was laying on a pallet but had fallen asleep holding Kuro. He sat up suddenly and heard Isshin’s voice to one side. 

“I had to deal with an argument among our retainers and the Hiratas took longer getting Asami something she could eat than they thought, but you and Kuro were asleep by the time we got back.” Isshin decided not to mention the moment of panic that Genichiro may have dropped Kuro. 

“I don’t remember you waking me up-”

“Oh, I didn’t. I just handed Kuro back to Asami and carried you here.” He laughed off Genichiro’s glare. Genichiro had never really liked being picked up, and acted like it was an affront to his dignity. 

“You could have woken me up-”

“We both know I couldn’t have, not after all the traveling we just did. You  _ might _ have woken up if I woke Kuro up and he started crying.” Genichiro was still glaring, but got up and started digging through his things, looking for a toothbrush. 

“Kuro likes you, at least.” Genichiro was glad he wasn’t facing Isshin; he couldn’t be reprimanded for the face he made.

“... I need to borrow some oil from the kitchen.” Genichiro muttered after a few minutes of silence as Isshin was shaving. 

“I’m sure your hair isn’t-”

“It is, Grandfather, trust me. I can go a few days without using it but my hair is starting to stand on end again.” 

“If Tomoe stopped teaching you how to use lightning, your hair wouldn’t stand on end and we wouldn’t be going through a jar of oil every month.”

“I know, but I’d rather know how to use it and not need it than need it and not know how.” Isshin did not respond; they’d had variations of the argument since Tomoe brought up teaching Genichiro xyr lightning, and Isshin had eventually grudgingly accepted that it was happening. Normally Genichiro would have ignored the disapproval and the barbed comment on the end, but he was remembering his thoughts from last night. He wasn’t sure how, or even if he wanted to bring up his worries, but Isshin started speaking before he could.

“Tatsuo said- actually, Genichiro, you stay here, I’ll go beg the kitchens for some oil.” Isshin looked over after he finished shaving, then got up and walked out before Genichiro could switch his train of thought to decide on a good retort. By the time he returned carrying a bowl with some spare oil Genichiro had started trying to get his hair to lay flat and was losing.

“We don’t need to meet them for another half hour. Would you like help?”

“I-I’ll be okay, Grandfather.” He struggled getting everything coated and then together so he could tie it back for thirty seconds before he felt Isshin helping anyway. Isshin was only silent for a moment.

“I shouldn’t have made that comment about the oil. Ashina is not in such a bad position I should be upset about one measly jar a month. Keep learning from Tomoe, please; after all, if it wins you the fight, it wins you the fight.”

“I-thank you.” Silence again; Genichiro tried to focus his thoughts on getting his hair to behave and was losing that battle, too. Isshin only let the silence stay for a few seconds, though.

“Kuro is a Hirata, Genichiro.”

“What?”

“He is a Hirata. That is what’s actually worrying you, isn’t it? You’ve looked upset since we got that letter asking us to come to the estates rather than the Hiratas come to the castle and you told me you suspected this. He will stay here, at the estates, and he will run them after Tatsuo and Asami cannot. You  _ are _ an Ashina. You _ are _ my grandson. You will be the person in charge of this country after me. And that is  _ not _ going to change,” Isshin lowered his voice slightly, “even if Tatsuo and Asami  _ finally _ figured out how babies are made.” He lost the hair he had been holding back as Genichiro snorted in laughter and looked from oily hands to his laughing grandson. 

“Okay, now pull yourself together for a minute so I can finish tying your hair back and get this off my hands. And lighten up, please. We’re visiting family and yes they are your family too. And even though you don’t like babies you don’t need to be frowning all the time. I’ll hold Kuro today but you will probably hold him again this trip.” 

“Al-alright. Thank you, Grandfather.”

“Good morning!” Just Tatsuo again. “Asami is sleeping in this morning, and will join us later.” He frowned slightly as they walked inside the main building. “Genichiro, what-”

“It’s oily or it’s standing on end, cousin, I don’t have a choice.”

“It’s a side effect of a technique from his mentor, Tatsuo. I borrowed some oil from your kitchen this morning for him.”

“Do I get to see this technique or should I have been greasing my hair yesterday in preparation?” He sounded and looked completely serious when Genichiro turned to check.

“I don’t think so, it’s not storming and she hasn’t taught me to summon lightning yet, just throw it.”

“Lightning? I want to hear about this.” Isshin mostly stayed quiet for breakfast as Tatsuo and Genichiro discussed the Lightning of Tomoe. 

Asami came in near the end of the meal; Isshin was standing to take Kuro before she was completely inside. 

“See? Now stop pouting that he wanted to be held by Genichiro last night.” Kuro was holding Isshin’s  _ haori _ like he had the night before. 

For the entire rest of the trip, Kuro never left someone’s arms longer than a few minutes. Genichiro only had to hold him twice, being sure to sit somewhere to lessen the chances of dropping him both times. He spent most of his time discussing sword techniques with Tatsuo and Asami, with Isshin’s occasional interjection. 

* * *

“Uncle, Genichiro, good to see you both!” Tatsuo and Asami were waiting for them this year, Tatsuo carrying Kuro. The toddler had grown a lot, and hid his face in his father’s  _ haori _ when the Ashina men walked up. “Genichiro, you must have grown another half a foot, you were only up to my shoulder last year. Uncle, you must be dyeing the grey away.” He laughed at Isshin’s faux offended look as Asami hugged them. Kuro peaked out quietly and hid again when Isshin smiled at him. 

“Kuro, it’s okay. Don’t you remember? This is your great uncle Isshin and your cousin Genichiro.” Tatsuo looked away from his hiding son for a moment. “He’ll warm up to you, I promise, but he’s going to be shy for a few hours.” 

“We’ll be fine, Tatsuo. Is he talking yet?”

“Not yet.” Asami waved them to come inside. “Soon, probably, but he hasn’t yet. Come, dinner is waiting for you.”

“Let me put Kuro to sleep, I’ll join in a few minutes.” Tatsuo walked off in a different direction as Asami led them inside.

Genichiro was sitting off to one side after dinner, half listening while Grandfather and the Hiratas talked about fishing in the lake. He looked over suddenly when he felt a small hand on his arm; Kuro had apparently woken up and toddled here from his room, and was looking up at him. He smiled a little nervously and was rewarded with a large grin. Kuro was not the tiny protohuman he had been last visit; but he looked more like what Genichiro thought of as an actual baby, and he still was not a fan. 

Tatsuo raised his voice slightly, talking with Isshin; It had sounded like he was joking but it was enough for Genichiro to look away for a moment. Tugging on his sleeve made him look back to Kuro pointing at Genichiro’s lap. Genichiro did not want to deal with crying if he ignored Kuro, so he lifted his cousin and placed the toddler in his lap, earning another grin. He smiled back uncertainly and checked that the adults were still involved with their discussion before looking down at Kuro. He was holding a soft toy; it took Genichiro, who had seen Emma’s collection of snake plushies, a moment to realize this was a dragon, not a reptile of some kind. 

“Is that your dragon?” Kuro nodded at him and offered the toy for inspection. It looked like someone had cut apart old clothing to make it; Genichiro could see some faded designs on the small horns. He handed it back and Kuro hugged it closely to his chest. “It’s a good dragon.” 

“Anzai Shimoda gave him that for his birthday.” While Genichiro was being allowed to look at the plush, the adults had looked over and noticed Kuro had woken up. Asami was smiling. “He’s been trying to carry it everywhere since then, he doesn’t want to let go of it.” 

“Kuro, not feeling tired?” Tatsuo got a giggle in response, then “No!” 

“Was that-” Isshin looked from Kuro to the Hiratas, who had both made quiet gasping sounds.

“That was his first word!” Tatsuo and Asami were both grinning hugely. 

“Letting us know how he feels, a good first word.” Isshin was smiling too. Genichiro was looking down at his grinning cousin, hugging the dragon plush, and now that he saw he got a good response, repeating “no” over and over. 

“I’m glad to see he still likes you, Genichiro.” Tatsuo added after a moment. “I told you he’d warm up to you again.”

“Here, let me get him. Kuro, it’s past bedtime now.” 

“We should retire as well; it was a long trip. Come, Genichiro.”

Isshin was somehow always awake before Genichiro. He must have been just as worn out by traveling but he was awake and moving around by the time Genichiro started to consider acknowledging he might have been conscious. He nodded back when Genichiro mumbled “good morning” and started looking for his things.

“Genichiro.” He waited until his grandson paused his hunt for a brush and looked at him. “You are my grandson. And you are the next lord of this country. And that is still not going to change.” He maintained eye contact until Genichiro nodded.

“I know, Grandfather. Just like when you told me last week. Or the week before that. Or every week since the last time we were here.”

“And you’ll still know when I tell you next week.” Isshin returned to tying back his hair as Genichiro finally located a brush. “You are part of this family and you are an Ashina and there is nothing that can change that.”

Genichiro smiled slightly once he thought Isshin was looking away. Even if he hadn’t believed it at first, the repetition had helped calm his mind, even if that meant the anxiety focused on his lessons from Tomoe and learning how to properly run a country instead.

Asami was carrying Kuro this morning after breakfast; rather than stay at the estates, Tatsuo took the Ashinas with him down the hill to the lake. Something about fish and reeds and other things Genichiro was only interested in because it meant less time around the baby. 

Kuro still found him that evening, when Isshin and the older Hiratas were talking about the possibilities of getting rifles into Ashina for the soldiers. This time he waited until Genichiro saw him, then started to walk away in the awkward, not-quite-used-to-this-bipedal-thing manner babies had.

Genichiro checked; Isshin was talking animatedly about the potential benefits of rifles and was very focused on what he was saying, and the Hiratas were both paying attention to him and sitting very closely together; Asami was resting her head on Tatsuo’s shoulder, while he leaned into her, clasping hands tightly. None of them were paying any attention to the rest of the room.  _ I need to tell them to figure out something better if Kuro is walking out of his room all the time _ Genichiro told himself as he quietly slid out and followed his cousin. The room he had gone into was the elder Hirata’s.

Kuro was sitting, hugging his dragon plushie, next to a small book. Genichiro looked at it; he recognized the title, and after a moment recognized the wear and tear marks and realized Isshin must have brought some of the books from when he was learning to read here for Kuro. 

“No!” Kuro was smiling at him holding the old book. 

“You’re not reading this yourself, yet. If I read it, will you go back to sleep?”

“No!” 

“...Okay.” Genichiro found a comfortable spot on the floor next to Kuro and started reading aloud. It took maybe half an hour and a quarter of the small book before Kuro was sleeping next to him. He carefully moved his cousin to the pallet that was probably his bed and placed the book on a small stack on the ground, frowning. He had hoped to be back with Grandfather and the Hiratas before then, but with the cliffside and the river nearby and even just the pond on the estates proper he wasn’t willing to let Kuro wander around unsupervised. 

He slid back inside the room they had been in and his frown deepened; the adults were gone. It was late; Isshin had probably gone back to their room, though he wasn’t sure where the Hiratas were, since Kuro was sleeping in their room still. He sighed and walked back out, intending to find the Hiratas and then fall asleep in the Ashina’s room whether Grandfather was already there or not. He looked around the courtyard and suddenly focused back on the porch; there was movement on the far corner. He relaxed when he realized it was Isshin, looking around for… something. He raised his voice slightly as he walked over. 

“Grandfather, can I help with whatev-” the hug knocked the wind out of him; Isshin had actually lifted him off the ground. 

“While you are free to wander the grounds, even at night,  _ please _ tell, if not me, Tatsuo or Asami? Rather than just let us look around and realize you’re not in the room and haven’t been for we don’t know how long.” Genichiro’s feet finally were placed back on the ground. It took longer to get his breath back. “It’s too easy to misstep around the bridge and fall if you don’t know the area.”

“I wasn’t wandering around. Kuro woke up and I saw him walking around. I didn’t think I’d be gone that long but he wanted me to read to him.”

“Of course the one place we didn’t think we’d find you was in with Kuro.”

“I was going to talk to Tatsuo and Asami about finding a better way to keep him inside. If he’s wandering around when they think he’s asleep and not watching him and you were worried about  _ me _ falling into the river-”

“They’re somewhere around here helping me look. Tatsuo? Asami?”

“Oh good, you found him. Genichiro, I didn’t think our conversation was  _ that _ boring-”

“Kuro was out after you put him to bed. He got me to read to him but if Grandfather is worried about me falling off the cliff and no one’s watching him…”

Tatsuo took off towards the Hirata’s room; Asami had started as well, but stopped as her husband vaulted a railing to get back inside. 

“Well. We were thinking about getting a playpen for when we’re busy and I’m willing to bet Tatsuo is going to get one tomorrow. He didn’t think we’d need something to keep him in one place, since he’s been well behaved, but I think I just won that discussion. Thank you, Genichiro, and I’m glad you’re not hurt.” She pulled him into a fast hug before heading to join Tatsuo.

A week into this visit Genichiro looked down at Kuro, fast asleep with his back against Genichiro’s leg, put down the book he had been reading, and wondered what happened. Kuro liked any of them reading to him before he would go to sleep, and the family tried to alternate who read to him before his nap; yet somehow he generally managed to find Genichiro, even with Tatsuo and Asami taking turns following and carrying him everywhere. It seemed like despite Genichiro’s remaining dislike of babies, Kuro had decided he was the favorite relative. 

He would have liked to get up, but Kuro was a light sleeper and he’d found that trying to move around would just have him reading aloud again immediately and resigned himself to staying put. He did have the other books here, at least; he could read for a while if Kuro was going to pin him here.

Kuro started twitching in his sleep eventually; Genichiro stopped reading to check on him; after a moment he started crying, but he still looked like he was asleep. Genichiro froze, watching his cousin, then gingerly reached out and started rubbing his back, hoping he’d quiet down. It worked for a moment, because Kuro woke up, and then started crying again. 

Genichiro looked at the door; no adult standing by to take over like they had been occasionally while he was reading. He carefully picked Kuro up and held him how he’d seen Asami or Tatsuo hold him, and started rubbing his back again until Kuro calmed down.  _ Then _ Tatsuo showed up, slightly out of breath; Genichiro decided not to ask him about his messed up hair or askew  _ haori _ . 

“You calmed him down already? Thank you.” Kuro had noticed his father present and reached out for him, and Genichiro handed him over. Asami had appeared behind him, looking marginally better put together. 

“I think he may have had a nightmare? He started crying while he was asleep, then woke up and kept crying.”

“Yes, that’s happened a few times. We’ll get him back to sleep, Genichiro, but thank you for helping us with him.” Genichiro left to find Isshin as the elder Hiratas started cooing to their son.

* * *

The Ashinas were not even to the main hall of the estates before a small form walked up to them and hugged Isshin around the leg. He smiled downwards. “Kuro, out and about on your own already?” 

“Yes!” 

“You’ve picked up some new words, haven’t you?”

“No!” Kuro giggled as Isshin laughed, then walked over to Genichiro. “Up?” He raised his arms, looking up at his cousin. Genichiro managed a smile, knelt to pick him up as Asami walked out of the main hall.

“Lord Isshin, Genichiro, it’s good to see you, though Kuro got to you first.” Kuro giggled from his spot being held to Genichiro’s side. “Forgive us, Tatsuo won’t be joining us for dinner. He will be alright, but he was trying to demonstrate a security flaw for one of the retainers and managed to fracture his leg. And he doesn’t need any more lecturing, Uncle, Kuro and I both have talked to him about it.”

“Really? What did Kuro say?”

“‘Bad’. Nothing else needed to be said, really.” 

The next morning Kuro started following Genichiro around after breakfast. He had dug up his dragon plushie again, which didn’t look too worse for wear despite Asami’s mention that it was rarely far from him. When Genichiro looked down, he raised his arms again with an ask of “up?” to be carried. This time, after Genichiro was holding him, Kuro tapped him on the shoulder again and said “up!” 

“You are up.” Genichiro was still cautious around Kuro, but at two and talking and walking he was less baby like which was good for Genichiro.

“Up up!” Kuro seemed to guess that Genichiro wasn’t understanding what he wanted, and clumsily threw his dragon into the air. Genichiro managed to catch it with his left hand, still nervous about not having both hands supporting Kuro, and returned it.

“I canno- I can’t just  _ throw _ you into the air, Kuro, this-it’s not safe.” He really hoped the child would understand and knew he wouldn’t.

“Dad up!” Came the response as Kuro threw the dragon into the air again for Genichiro to catch. Well, if Tatsuo did… 

Genichiro slid into the balanced stance he used for sword practice, and carefully threw his cousin a few inches up, immediately grabbing him around the waist again, and was rewarded with laughter and another command of “up!” 

He threw Kuro a few more times, careful not to throw him too far, until Kuro stopped asking and burrowed into his  _ haori _ , giggling. Genichiro turned to take Kuro back to his room- to find Asami or a retainer and ask where his room was now- 

-and made eye contact with Tatsuo, smiling, sitting on the stairs into the building behind them. 

“He’s been upset I’m supposed to be on bed rest and can’t do that. Thank you, Genichiro.”

“He-”

“He likes to be thrown, up, into a pile of blankets, a stack of pallets, probably the lake if we find someone to teach him how to swim. He also likes being swung around or last winter we poured water on one of the hallways to freeze it and he loved being bundled in a blanket and slid down that. It’s normal for children, though he’s a little young for it. Oh, his room is down that hallway, third door on the right.”

“This doesn’t look like bed rest.” Genichiro remarked as he started up the steps.

“I’m fine, it’s not actually anything the needs bed rest, it’s just a fracture. Bed rest is an excuse to make sure I don’t do it again.”

“I’m going to guess it isn’t working.” Tatsuo laughed as Genichiro passed him, but stopped immediately when they both heard Isshin’s loud voice calling for him. 

“Good luck cousin, I’ll see you if Asami lets you leave your room again.” Kuro was startled out of his laughter by the noise and started reaching for his father after he looked around for the source.

“Asami can be talked around, Uncle is who I’m worried about.” He reached back for Kuro, still sitting, and frowned when Genichiro did not move to hand him over. “He wants me right now-”

“And I’m sure you can stand up and walk carrying him with a fractured leg, no trouble, right?” Tatsuo reared back slightly; Genichiro usually wasn’t sarcastic while they were visiting. 

“Okay, just because you’re right doesn’t... Oh hold on, that wasn’t how I wanted that sentence to go.” Genichiro put Kuro down to help the older Hirata up, grinning, waited as Tatsuo picked up his son who had started tugging on his  _ hakama _ to be carried, then offered his help to get the man back to his room before Isshin found them.

Isshin found them anyway, halfway to Tatsuo’s room.

“My understanding is you are not supposed to be walking around yet, Tatsuo.” Genichiro recognized the tone of voice from every time he had gotten injured and had disregarded whatever Dogen or Emma had instructed him to do; while Isshin was worse about following their instructions, he did not tolerate the same vice in his family. 

“Your understanding is correct, Uncle, but I’m supposed to be the Lord here by your declaration and that means not always listening to what people tell me I’m supposed to do. Just following your example, right?” Leaning on Genichiro, he made his way back into his room as Isshin spluttered trying to think of a response.

“Can I use that in a few years?” Genichiro was supporting most of Tatsuo’s weight, it seemed; despite him claiming he was fine, the leg must have hurt to walk on.

“You can use that when I’m on my deathbed, Genichiro, and not before, if I have order Dogen to drug you.” Isshin had given up on a response to Tatsuo and had taken Kuro. As he helped Tatsuo settle back onto his pallet, Genichiro heard Kuro start asking Isshin to throw him. By the time he was standing back up, Isshin was lightly tossing Kuro up into the air, accompanied by giggling. 

“He likes that!” Despite claiming to be fine Tatsuo was panting from even the simple walk. Genichiro handed him a pillow when he reached for it, so he could elevate his leg. “I haven’t been able to, so he’s been asking Asami, but I’m ‘not currently capable of running the estates’ according the retainers and she’s been stretched thin doing everything.”

“Well, it sounds like we came at the right time! Between Genichiro and I, we can keep Kuro occupied.” Isshin was still throwing and catching Kuro and he addressed Tatsuo. Genichiro looked around the elder Hirata’s room, thinking. Kuro would probably be asking him “Up” tomorrow. Two years of practice had helped his coordination, but he still did not want to risk hurting Kuro. 

“Up!” Kuro had climbed into Genichiro’s lap before breakfast was over. “Let’s go over here first.” Genichiro picked him up and made his way back to Kuro’s room. He’d thought more about his plan and decided on a course of action if Kuro wanted to be thrown so much. 

The elder Hirata’s room was next door and currently empty; Tatsuo hadn't been at breakfast and Asami had bowed out halfway through. Genichiro grabbed every blanket and pallet he could find and dragged them into Kuro’s room, then ran to the Ashina’s quarters and stripped it of anything soft as well. Kuro was sitting, hugging his dragon toy, watching his cousin work with interest until every surface but the ceiling was covered in soft things. 

“Okay, Kuro. Up?” He was rewarded with giggles and an enthusiastic toddler jumping clumsily at his feet. With the padding covering the room, he felt better about throwing Kuro more than an inch or two out of his hands and Kuro was having the time of his life.

“Genichiro!” Isshin was  _ loud _ when he wanted to be, and Kuro went sideways rather than up when he jumped at his grandfather’s yell.

“Kuro!?” Genichiro dropped to the ground, panicking already, but Kuro was laughing; the pallet on the wall had stopped him from injuring himself, proving Genichiro’s overpreparation correct. 

“Up!” And he pointed at the wall; old Up was old news now; thrown into the wall Up was the new best game. 

“Genichiro?” Now Grandfather sounded worried.

“Here! In a minute, Kuro, I need to- Grandfather, do you need something?” Isshin had opened the door and was looking around the softest room in the estates with his eyebrows raised.

“I was going to ask if you knew what happened to the bedding in our room but I think you are what happened. I know it’s scary, but you don’t need to be this careful with him Genichiro, he’s a child, not a teapot.”

“So I can treat him like that blue teapot last month?”

“That is not what I meant. He won’t shatter into pieces because he fell.”

“Speaking of, is Tatsuo back in his rooms? He wasn’t in there when I checked.” Genichiro stood up holding Kuro to avoid Isshin’s glare. 

“I- You- I’ll go find him. You stop do- stop taking everything I say so literally, please.” Genichiro grinned at Kuro as Isshin left.

“Again, Kuro?” And lightly threw him into the pallets covering the closest wall when he got a happy nod. 

It took the better part of an hour, carefully throwing Kuro and spinning him around like Tatsuo had mentioned before the youngest Hirata was happy and willing to settle down for a while; despite how early it was, he fell asleep fairly quickly. In that time Asami had shown up with Tatsuo and reclaimed one of the pallets Genichiro had taken; apparently she had not been open to debate and had decided to deal with him forgoing bedrest and sneaking out of the estates proper while they were eating by dumping him in the pond and telling him to swim his energy out, which resulted in both of them getting soaked when he started splashing her, and then both of them ganging up on Isshin when he went looking and decided to scold them for not acting like their station. 

“He’s asleep?” Isshin had gotten to change out of a soaked  _ haori _ and  _ hakama _ , but his hair was still wet and slicked back. Genichiro nodded, and immediately felt his feet leave the floor as his grandfather threw him into one of the blanket covered walls.

“Don’t pretend like you didn’t want to be thrown too.” Genichiro, after checking to make sure neither of the older Hiratas were standing behind Isshin, smiled slightly as he got to his feet. 

“If you tell someone I will tell them you’re lying.”

“Don’t want Gyoubu throwing you around?”

“I don’t want to be on bedrest like Tatsuo right now, no.”

“Tomoe would have a field day, you know xe is always looking for new scenarios to teach you with.”

“....I might mention it to xyr. That could be useful.” He looked back to Isshin, who smiled and threw him into a different padded wall. He laughed, but forced himself to be serious again quickly. “We should probably take most of this back; we’re going to wake up Kuro, otherwise.” Isshin helped return the blankets and pallets before walking out near the pond. Genichiro, with nothing to do, followed. 

They were silent for a few minutes, watching the reeds wave in a slight breeze, before Isshin turned to his grandson. Genichiro was expecting this and braced himself to be picked up and spun; judging by Kuro’s reaction, it was probably fun. 

He had not been expecting Isshin to shove him into the pond and run out of splashing distance before he pulled himself up, scowling and dripping.

“You and Kuro are the only family members who haven’t gotten soaked today and Kuro is asleep.” Isshin was laughing from his safe distance. Genichiro stood up, looked at his sopping wet clothing, then at his Grandfather, and gave a wicked grin. 

“Grandfather, you shouldn’t have been so thoughtful! Do you want a hug?” Isshin stopped smiling.

“Genichiro I don’t have any other clean  _ haori _ -” 

“No, Grandfather, I insist.” Isshin took off, and made it halfway to the building before getting tackled and wet again.

Isshin looked at his now dirty and wet  _ haori _ , then at his dripping grandson and started to open his mouth.

“Now both of you need to go back to your room and change because if you try and do that to Kuro I will throw you in the actual lake.” Asami had appeared at some point and was standing on the porch holding a once again awake Kuro, fighting to hold onto a frown and failing to look serious and like she wasn’t laughing. “And if one of you steps on this porch I’m banning sake from mealtimes for the rest of your visit.”

“We will go and change Asami, we wouldn’t get Kuro wet.” Isshin turned from placating Asami to find an empty courtyard.

“He took off running as soon as you couldn’t see him.” Isshin started walking back towards the room, speeding up when he realized why Genichiro had probably been in a hurry.

“Sorry, Grandfather, you’re going to have to wear a shirt for today.” Genichiro had already changed; he was wearing his spare  _ haori _ , the only clean one left between the two of them.

“That is my  _ haori _ , Genichiro.”

“It  _ was _ your  _ haori _ , Grandfather, I remember you insisting I wear your old clothing until I finish growing. It’s mine now.” 

“...I’ll go ask one of the servants if our laundry can be done earlier.” Genichiro left him to figure out what dry clothing he had and walked back outside to see Kuro now sitting on the porch next to Asami. Kuro brightened up when he saw his cousin and started asking “Up!” before Genichiro was half-way across the courtyard. Genichiro smiled and sped up to pick up his cousin.

**Author's Note:**

> Is it too much to ask to have Isshin and Genichiro be emotionally mature? 
> 
> Don't be like Tatsuo, by the way, walking around on a broken leg and saying its "just a fracture" to make that sound better.
> 
> Hakama are pants; a Haori is like a jacket.


End file.
